Rope clamp



06L 1940. c. c. GALLAGHER ROPE CLAMP Filed April 24, 1939 I INVENTOR.

CAfl/WWCT C 6174 4/76/7677. 3 BY I ATTORNEYi.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 2,217,400

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROPE CLAMP Clarence O. Gallagher, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 24, 1939, Serial No. 269,662

1 Claim. (01. 24-124) This invention relates to arope clamp. two halves of the hexagonal ridge 9 when drawn Rope clamps of various types are old and welltightly together is substantially invisible. A known. Large quantities of rope clamps are used, further advantage of making the two clamp for example, on boats such as yachts and sailmembers so that the hexagonal ridge 9 is split boats, through two opposit apices I and l l is that this One of the defects present in the rope clamps facilitates manufacture where the clamp memheretofore used is that they are not only unbers are, for example, drop forged or cast. In sightly but present sharp corners and edges upon casting or forging draft is necessary so that the which the sailor or other person handling the clamp members can be removed from the mold 10 rope not infrequently scratches or cuts his hand. in casting, or the die in forging. This draft, 10 It is an object of this invention to produce a rope which is a well accepted term in the casting art, clamp which obviates the above defect and should be at least seven degrees. Where the which is safe to handle without danger of cuthexagonal ridge is formed, as described above and ting or injuring the handler. shown particularly in Fig. 4, this draft is con- The rope clamps heretofore used clamp the siderably more than seven degrees. 15 rope in such a manner that they cook relative The nut is tapered inwardly from the center to the rope. It is an object of this invention to toward the end of the clamp. The nut 4 when produce a rope clamp which, upon clamping a fully screwed down formsatight, hardly discernirope, will have its longitudinal axis aligned or ble joint I l with the hexagonal ridge 5. The centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of length of the nut l is equa and preferably 20 the rope. This causes the clamp to blend or silghtly longer than the distance from the side of merge itself into the rope. the hexagonal ridge 9 to the end of the clamp In the drawing: members 2 and 3. Because of this the outer Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the clamp apcurved end E5 of the nut is either flush with or plied to a rope, the end of which has been drawn projects beyond the end it of the clamp mem- 25 back to form a loop. bers 2 and 3, thus the nut I5 serves as a shield to Fig. 2 is an exploded View of the clamp. prevent injury to the hands or clothing of the Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the individual manipulating the rope I.

clamp and rope. The nut 5 is also tapered from the middle to Fig. 4 is a section along the line 44 of Fig. 3. ward the end and when fully screwed down has a 30 Referring more particularly to the drawing close joint ll with the hexagonal ridge 9, but it there is shown a rope l of any suitable material should be noted that the nuts 4 and 5 when such as wire or hemp strands. The clamp is screwed tightly against the hexagonal ridge 9 designed primarily for clamping wire rope comhave their surfaces flush therewith. Thus, the

monly known as cable. clamp when fully assembled presents a smooth 35 The clamp comprises two identical clamp surface from one end to the other and presents members 2 and 3 and the end nut members 4 and no sharp or rough edges which are likely to injure 5. The clamp members 2 and 3 have their extethe hands or clothing .of the individual handling rior surfaces threaded as at 6 and taper from the the p middle toward the ends. Each clamp is provided e C nt he onal ridge 9 serves an im- 40 with a lug 8 and a socket l. The lug of the clamp portaht function in the assembly of the c p to member 3 interengages the socket of the clamp the rope- In assembly e rope s placed in the member 2 and the lug of the clamp member 2 grooves 92 and the Clamp members placed in a interengages the clamp member 3 in the sock- Vise 50 that the V186 grips the Opp sed faces of et 7. the hexagonal ridge. By means of the vise act- The clamp members 2 and 3 when together are Oh the ridge the clamps are brought ghtprovided centrally with an integral polygonal y t h Wi in a w s uti at ng the ridge 9 which, by way of illustration, is a hexagthreads of the clamp. While thus held in the onal i circumference, Each clamp m mb 2 vise the nuts 4 and 5 can be screwed on to the and 3 has formed thereon one half of the hexclamp membersagonal ridge 9, that is, each carries three full The nut 5 when fully screwed down extends sides of the hexagonal ridge. The joint in the beyond the outer end of the clamp m bers 2 two halves of the hexagonal ridge 9 runs from and 3 and is provided with a shield portion l8 one apex l0 to the apex ll opposite thereof. This having a hole 59 therein having a diameter equal is advantageous because the joint between the to that of the size rope for which the clamp is designed. The hole 19 is positioned in alignment or centered with the longitudinal axis of the clamp. This shield l8 not only gives additional strength to the nut 5 but also centers the rope I as it projects from the clamp assembly. The fact that the rope I runs out of the clamp cent ally or aligned with the longitudinal axis of the clamp prevents the clamp from cocking when the rope is in use. Further, the shield I8 shields the dead end of the rope. If the rope is Wire rope with sharp end fibers, the shield protects the handler against injury therefrom. The shield l8 also prevents the ingress of water into the clamp.

It is evident from the above that the clamp herein shown and described is streamlined from one end to the other thus presenting a smooth clean surface which not only adds to the appearance of the clamp but makes it safe to handle. This clamp has no threads exposed to view.

I claim:

A rope clamp comprising two opposing substantially identical clamping members having longitudinal grooves in their inner faces to receive a rope therebetween, each of said clamping members having a half polygonal ridge approximately midway of its length and similar portions on each side of the half ridge in the form of half .of a frustum of a cone tapered from the ridge outwardly and inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the clamp, the said half polygonal ridges being opposed to form a polygonal ridge circumferentially of said clamp, the outer conical surfaces 'of said clamping members being threaded on each side of the polygonal ridge, and, nuts screwed onto the tapered portions of the clamping members and extending from the ridge to the ends of the clamp members to hold them together on each side of the said ridge, the said ridge projecting beyond the external threads whereby to serve as a place for gripping the clamp during assembly upon said rope while screwing the nuts into place.

CLARENCE C. GALLAGHER. 

